The High Court in Limpopo has sent a strong message to would-be vigilantes – mob justice will not be tolerated.
Judge George Phatudi sentenced seven Tzaneen locals to 25 years imprisonment on Wednesday for the murders of two men.
The convicted murderers claimed that the two deceased‚ Foster Mushwana and Mack Monyela‚ robbed one of them of cash and a cell phone in September 2015.
In response Friday Mlondobozi‚ 18‚ Martin Zwane‚ 23‚ Lebo Sekhodiso‚ 25‚ Moshe Chabalala‚ 31‚ Yvonne Bayani‚ 38‚ Aubrey Kakgoale‚ 34‚ and Octavious Mashele‚ 35‚ attacked the two men at a local tavern.
“The witnesses who were called by the state testified that all accused were on the scene chasing and assaulting the deceased with bricks‚ sticks‚ bottles and crates at the tavern. Both were also dragged to the Peace Makers football ground were the beatings continued until they [passed] on‚” National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi said in a statement.
The seven men and women‚ from Tzaneen’s Khujwana village‚ had pleaded not guilty to counts of murder‚ kidnapping and assault but were later convicted.
“In aggravation of sentence‚ State Advocate Trot Mphahlele told the court that the accused had planned the attack and acted on common purpose which had resulted in the gruesome [killings] of the deceased‚” Malabi-Dzhangi said.
Phatudi agreed when he sentenced the group and said they were well aware of the consequences of their actions.
“The National Prosecuting Authority welcomes the sentence and the sentence will send a clear message that mob justice will not be tolerated‚” Malabi-Dzhangi said.
Mob justice perpetrators locked away for 25 years
The High Court in Limpopo has sent a strong message to would-be vigilantes – mob justice will not be tolerated.
Judge George Phatudi sentenced seven Tzaneen locals to 25 years imprisonment on Wednesday for the murders of two men.
The convicted murderers claimed that the two deceased‚ Foster Mushwana and Mack Monyela‚ robbed one of them of cash and a cell phone in September 2015.
In response Friday Mlondobozi‚ 18‚ Martin Zwane‚ 23‚ Lebo Sekhodiso‚ 25‚ Moshe Chabalala‚ 31‚ Yvonne Bayani‚ 38‚ Aubrey Kakgoale‚ 34‚ and Octavious Mashele‚ 35‚ attacked the two men at a local tavern.
“The witnesses who were called by the state testified that all accused were on the scene chasing and assaulting the deceased with bricks‚ sticks‚ bottles and crates at the tavern. Both were also dragged to the Peace Makers football ground were the beatings continued until they [passed] on‚” National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi said in a statement.
The seven men and women‚ from Tzaneen’s Khujwana village‚ had pleaded not guilty to counts of murder‚ kidnapping and assault but were later convicted.
“In aggravation of sentence‚ State Advocate Trot Mphahlele told the court that the accused had planned the attack and acted on common purpose which had resulted in the gruesome [killings] of the deceased‚” Malabi-Dzhangi said.
Phatudi agreed when he sentenced the group and said they were well aware of the consequences of their actions.
“The National Prosecuting Authority welcomes the sentence and the sentence will send a clear message that mob justice will not be tolerated‚” Malabi-Dzhangi said.
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